In a network system, one or more devices, such as a personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a “PC”), printer, scanner, facsimile machine, and Multi Function Center (hereinafter, referred to as an “MFC”) having functions of a printer, scanner, and facsimile machine, are connected to a network such as a Local Area Network (hereinafter, referred to as a “LAN”). Therefore, when a user operates a PC to make a printer perform a print-out operation, the user has to specify a printer to perform the print-out operation among printers connected to the network. In such a case, it can be difficult to specify an intended printer as many printers can be connected to the network.
Management tool software incorporated in the PC makes it possible to find a specified printer with a so-called “discover function”, and to configure settings for the printer. However, since what is found by the discover function is an IP address (a device address defined on the network), a node name (a device name on the network), and/or a status of the printer, it is impossible to confirm an actual printer location, that is, where the specified printer is located physically rather than its location on the network.
In order to confirm such a printer location, it is necessary to previously input detailed information on the locations of printers to a location information database that a user can update, to previously prepare a floor map indicating the installation locations of the printers with the IP addresses and node names thereof, or to go around confirming the printers one by one based upon the IP addresses and/or node names clarified by the discover function. Another way to confirm the printer location is to change a printer status into a cover-opened state by opening a cover of the printer, or into a non-connected state by pulling a LAN cable out of the printer so as to individually confirm the printer locations.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. HEI 9-6559 discloses a technique for confirming the locations of printers connected to a network. In the technique, when a confirmation signal is transmitted to a specified printer from a PC, information indicating the installation location of the printer is displayed on a display device of the PC. The information displayed on the display device of the PC, includes information on a section and floor where the printer is installed, and an IP address. Further, there is a technique to identifiably indicate the installation locations of the printers on a graphic image of the network.
However, in the techniques disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. HEI 9-6559, such as a technique to previously input detailed information on the printer locations in the location information database, or such as a technique to confirm the printer locations according to the previously prepared floor map indicating the printer installation locations with the IP addresses and/or node name, a lot of effort is need to make necessary materials and configure the settings. Also the aforementioned techniques take a lot of trouble for maintenance of updating the materials and settings whenever the printer installation locations are changed. In addition, in order to go around confirming the IP addresses and the node names of the printers one by one, it is necessary to individually operate the printers to make each of them display their IP address. Similarly, to confirm the printer locations displayed on the display devices of the PCs based upon the printer statuses, which have individually been changed, it is necessary to operate the printers by going between the PCs and the printers. In the above techniques, there is a problem that cumbersome operations may be required.